


Space Operatics

by nonky



Category: Battlestar Galactica (2003)
Genre: F/M, Sara "Foxfire" Spencer, Victor "Adonis" Harvey
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-04
Updated: 2017-09-21
Packaged: 2018-07-20 03:15:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7388365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nonky/pseuds/nonky
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>President Roslin creates arts funding for a new radio drama about a fleet of survivors and and military officers protecting them. The writing borrows strikingly closely from life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"The media has always been a source of entertainment, information and inspiration," President Laura Roslin said fondly. "Having a way to relay news about politics, culture and military matters has helped to knit our many ships into a society. I thank all the hard working people who make that happen."

She smiled, managing to look both smug and unassuming. "However, the time has come to look to creating some new fictional broadcasts that allow our citizens to have stories reflecting our new circumstances. I understand the challenges of these productions, so I have found some resources in the Colonial budget to fund a radio drama that tastefully tackles our new realities of life. I believe the title is 'On Two Wings and a Prayer.' Personally, I'm very much looking forward to tuning in."

Billy timed handing her a page with her pause and the president gave a pleased murmur. "Ah, yes. I was promised a preview of the first episode. I think I'm allowed to read it for all of you?"

She looked at a man in the front row of seats, slumped a little unseemly for a presidential address. It wasn't as if Colonial One had the means to take in any interested citizen for large-scale speeches. He was clearly unaware of his honour in being present. The man nodded with a small hand gesture that lacked friendliness. 

Lee Adama studied him as he planted his chin on his fist and looked at the floor. The search for a survivor with a background to be a show runner had led to an unpleasant man who had been perfectly happy sulking in his cabin on Cloud Nine. He had been approached with the project multiple times and declined until the resources included a few luxuries even the wealthy struggled to afford. 

The president of the colonies was paying for a radio drama with exotic pet birds and the services of a veterinarian. 

"Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, our director is Gowan Prescott. I'm sure you'll be hearing that name a lot," Roslin joked. "I won't step on his toes by spoiling all I've heard. But in the absence of a way to advertise, I want everyone to hear a little about the story. Here goes: A tragedy cuts off communications and travel between the two sides of a twelve planet galaxy, stranding family and friends far apart. Some people are lost, perhaps forever, and those who remain must learn to protect each other under very harsh circumstances."

Lee was skeptical about the entertainment value of what was a fictionalized version of their everyday lives, but he knew there were a lot of civilians cooped up on ships with no room for the basic recreation his crew enjoyed. He didn't begrudge anyone a harmless diversion.

"We'll meet Admiral Edward Harvey, who must give up his retirement to continue the fight. His son, Captain Victor 'Adonis' Harvey, leads the brave pilots who defend the colonies. Father and son were luckily together at the time of the catastrophe. Many more people have no family. Lieutenant Sara 'Foxfire' Spencer is also a pilot, and she fights valiantly for every living soul despite having no relatives of her own. Her best friend, Lieutenant Bruno 'Big Bird' Porter is also an orphan, and an old soul in love with his co-pilot, Lieutenant Rita 'Popper' Ling."

He'd expected a version of his father in the show, and himself. The pilots were probably also based on real people. He hoped the elements borrowed were used respectfully. 

"But romance, family ties and friendship have to take second seat to action because their enemies are a mysterious alien civilization launching unprovoked attacks against the innocent civilians under their care. Fleet regulations demand they maintain the rules that prevent soldiers from falling in love. Death lurks around every asteroid. Trust is a rare commodity, and so, sometimes is soap."

A big laugh. Lee allowed himself a smile behind the president, knowing people did glance his way to see reactions. 

"Under the guidance of High Priestess Marissa Warner, the war will change everything about daily life in the colonies. The gifted but troubled Dr. Dylan Magyar and his wife, Fiona, will be asked to help the Admiral find a way to take everyone home. Not everyone will make it, and hearts will be broken along the way."

She grinned and put the paper down with a confidential lean forward. "Well, now I'm really excited for the first episode. I hope I can resist pestering for details," Roslin said happily. 

Lee applauded with the rest of the room, though he was wondering if fictional Gaius would also be a pervert. 

 

"Oh, Vee, Vee, yes!" A female voice rang out across the officer's rec room. "Oh, I love you, Adonis."

A masculine groan, sexually charged but not too explicit, replied, "Sara, I've wanted you forever."

The actress gave a few breathless hums and there was smacking of lips. "Me, too. I want to stay just like this, Vee. Never let me push you away."

"I'd fly after you, Foxy."

A shorter kissing noise sounded, and subtle instrumental music signified afterglow. Sheets rustled as the two pilots no doubt curled together. The music took on a sadness. 

"But I can't let you catch me, Vee," Sara told him quietly. "We can't fly together and be together. It doesn't seem fair when it feels so right."

"I've lied to my father before," Victor said. "I'd do it again, for you."

The rustling of sheets was more pronounced, and Lee imagined Sara lurching up and out of bed with an offended posture. Well, truthfully, he was picturing Kara as Sara and it was unfortunately hitting a little close to his own personal experience. He didn't know how, but the show managed to find people who sounded very like his father and Kara. It undercut the disclaimer before each broadcast that these people were just fictional characters. 

Lee might be able to argue there was a real risk people would mistake Admiral Edward Harvey's call to arms as a actual emergency. He had no way to make a case for changing Lt. Sara Spencer's actress without explaining how awkward it was trying to sit next to Kara while hearing radio Sara moan in PG rated passion. 

"I respect your father. He took me in when I had nowhere. I'm - I'm not sure I can lie to him about this," she said with admirable notes of hesitant dignity. "I don't want to be your dirty little secret."

"When have I ever, ever treated you like you were?! You know, maybe you're right. This is always going to fall apart because you lose your nerve."

"I never lose my nerve. I took on 4 Mycenian ships by myself yesterday when my wingman had to eject."

That earned a wince from both Kara and Lee. She had recently taken on four Cylon raiders solo after her nugget wingman retreated back to the safety of Galactica. She got back safely, too, but Lee hadn't even waited for her canopy to lift before vaulting up her stairs and screaming for ten straight minutes. He didn't even recall what he'd said. The deck crew was good about pretending not to remember the contents of the spirited debates CAG and Top Gun indulged after a hard day in the Vipers. 

Lee thought he might be hearing some of his commentary on Kara's recklessness paraphrased and thoughtfully broadcast to literally every other person alive. It was enough to make a man shy about yelling his head off when Kara scared him to death.

"Not the same, Sara. I know you're not afraid to die. But I can't make you believe that I won't die on you. And I can't live off breadcrumbs you drop."

"That's not fair. I have good reason to doubt."

"I thought I was a good reason, Sara - Foxfire," he corrected himself. "I made a mistake. Let's try to do our jobs and put this behind us."

"Oh, fig you Victor!"

The president had insisted all instances of frak be replaced with a nonsense phrase so the program could entertain all ages. Lee wasn't sure the length of the heavy breathing scenes was quite correct for family friendly standards, but he supposed any kids able to recognize sex noises were old enough to have figured it out without horny pilots providing the example in a radio play. 

Beside him, Kara let out a short grumble, clearly uncomfortable with the amusement of her fellow pilots. In lieu of a visual part of the story, they watched Lee and Kara try to sit unaffected through the whole episode. After the first few shows, both of them had agreed to sit quietly and roll their eyes at the absurdity. 

He was pretty sure Victor and Sara's relationship was harder to cope with than his worst moment with Kara. Except they weren't a couple, so it was ridiculous to compare them directly. 

Over the speakers, Sara sighed and began quietly sobbing at the same time Kara made an irritated noise. Helo chuckled, which started the rest of them. And Lee sighed. 

"I'd just like to remind everyone these are fictional events," he sighed. "And if anyone starts taking them too seriously, as a concerned CAG I'll have to cancel our group entertainment."

Everyone shut up pretty quickly, and the broadcast had moved on to Dr. Magyar discussing his newest scheme to fight the Mycenian threat. 

"Sorry, Lee, it's just a good hopeless love story. I mean, they can't get together. They're stuck working together every day," Helo said sympathetically. "I feel bad for them."

Shaking his head, Lee stood up. "Not really. They're both needed desperately and there's a limited population. If they were sure they wanted to, Victor and Sara could insist on getting married," he told the group, deliberately not looking Kara's way. "It can't be any worse for the fleet than a massive enemy force and being cut off from the home planets."

No one was listening to the made up technical details of Dr. Magyar's crazy plan. Kara had leaned back in her chair, as if braced for g-forces. Helo grinned. 

"So you want Victor to ask Sara to marry him? What do you think is stopping him," he asked slyly. 

Lee had never used his stiff military deadpan expression more desperately. "He doesn't get much encouragement, Helo."

He walked away, feeling the room of officers speculate on his words. His attempt to quell the drama both on the radio and between the pilots had only added new tidbits for people to gnaw over.


	2. Space Operatics

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I'm sorry it's so hard to love me, Vee," Kara said, as Foxy. "It's too easy to love you."
> 
> Lee came up in his chair with a jolt. He stared at her, as Kara hid behind her hair.

Gowan Prescott just wanted a drink. He didn't want to greet fans, he didn't want to politely acknowledge the friends of friends of hangers-on of people he didn't like. He was alive at the end of the worlds, trying to find a drink to get through another day. 

There was little hope it would be the really good stuff, of course. The good stuff was gone and the middling stuff was on the way out. Pretty soon he'd be drinking prison hooch and paying for it like champagne. 

He sampled his glass with the barest wince, settling in as people took the hint to go away. He was almost relaxed when someone took the next bar stool. He could feel eyes on him, not even bothering to pretend not to stare.

"Would you like an autograph," he asked, making his tone as sharply dry as his wine. 

"I'd like to pitch you out an airlock for making Viper pilots seem like a pack of hormonal teenage scumbags," a female voice said with an upbeat tone. "Instead, I'm going to help you write your way out of your dumb character rut."

Gowan had a full glass and didn't want to leave it. He rolled his neck to look at a young, blonde woman with a ragged attractiveness she did nothing to assist. Her slump was unflattering, and she wore her mannish uniform even less fashionably than some of the female fleet personnel. He couldn't tell ranks from the tiny pins and patches, but he recognized a Viper patch.

"While I don't take any criticism personally," he drawled deliberately, letting his disdain show. "-I also have to stress I don't write anything but fiction. If you see parallels to your own life, I might suggest making a few changes. My pilots are a bit of a mess on purpose. Every couple can't go on a few dozen quiet dates and settle in for a long happy ending. I'm writing a space opera. It requires highs and lows."

"I'm Starbuck," the woman said. She didn't wait for any reply, or seem to be concerned her identity would mean nothing to him. She also wasn't shy about leaning way in and sniffing his wine derisively. "You might be good at writing a show that entertains people, but I can help you leave them on a cliffhanger they'll never forget."

Everyone knew Apollo for his flying, and Starbuck for her madness. Even better for a romance hungry audience, they were close friends and perhaps far more. It wasn't necessary to name them as his inspiration for the unimaginatively named Sara and Vee. 

His season one finale could use a little punch up, and if any one of the dozens of rumours about her were true, Gowan knew he'd kick himself for letting his justified irritation cheat him out of hearing just a little of it from the source.

"I will-" he rolled the next words around for a long moment, for the sake of drama and to punish her, "-trade a spoiler for a drink, Starbuck."

Her real smile was a bit brassy for him, but he was drawn in by how it brought out all the nicer aspects of good bone structure and a generous mouth. She was younger than he'd pictured, but that went for almost all of the military. They were all kids, and on generous days he could appreciate he'd had more of a chance to live his life than they ever would.

"Okay, Mr. Director, I will take the strongest thing they serve here, and I will tell you a secret about Sara 'Foxfire' Spencer. You've had her frakking her CAG all over the ship and it always ends with this sad speech from Adonis about how he's trying so hard and getting no love back. Everyone thinks she's with Vee for the thrills, but what if she needs him and she loves him more than he loves her? She's willing to take what she can get because she's convinced he's going to dump her soon."

There was an outspoken crew member who had been saved by Adonis early in the season, and since then had stolen a few scenes with her heartfelt defense of his personal life. Specialist Bailey Ware had even embraced the lead pilot after a spectacular mission was explosively concluded. Gowan had been considering the problem of what to do with two pilot couples stuck in limbo. At least he'd been able to get some steamy scenes from Adonis and Foxfire, but that wasn't enough to keep the audience invested. The problem was what to do with Foxy if Vee wasn't playing off her crazy energy. He'd put too much emphasis on them together to ignore it without having something happen to cause a rift.

It was risky to take Bailey and make her the other woman. She was popular as a supporting character, and made scenes that were too heavy easier to sell. The audience wouldn't like meeting a brand new character this late in the season, only to have her steal Adonis from Foxy. Bailey was no match for Foxy, and Victor's devotion had been firmly established.

He was happier that his slow burn with Big Bird and Popper was working, though he didn't want to ruin it by going the same route as the other couple. They were supposed to be the example of the healthy relationship, and that meant letting them be free to be together openly. They could take their time because they made sense. 

"Foxy is pretty dismissive of his feelings," he pointed out, waving the bartender back. "And he does have other options."

If he'd expected Kara Thrace to look worried, he needn't have bothered. She shrugged. 

"Of course he has options. Who wouldn't love L-Adonis? He's loyal and heroic. He's willing to give far more than he should. And Foxy has to ask him to give even more than that," Kara said simply.

She took her drink with a grin to the bartender, who quirked his mouth in return and lingered nearby. She hummed a little note of thanks as the first sip coated her throat. 

"Oh, that's good. It's been ages since I've had real booze," she said, spinning to face Gowan. "So?"

"Your big secret is that the character who is clearly hung up on the man she's been seeing all season is in love? I'm sorry, but that's not really a twist," Gowan said frankly.

"No, it's not, but Vee is fooled by her because she has a bigger secret than that. Remember when Sara had to get onto the Mycenian ship and find the power node to charge up the engine core for the biggest passenger ship and got captured?"

He rolled his eyes. His actress who played Sara had been laid up with laryngitis after taking a second radio gig that pushed her negligible singing ability too far. He'd had to write a frantic Adonis and Admiral Harvey desperately searching for her for two whole episodes, while Sara's fate was unknown. By the time she was rescued, it was a rather long captivity. The amplified emotions had made the next few love scenes amazing. 

If only his Sara could admit she couldn't sing nearly as well as she wanted, and stop losing her voice at the worst possible moments. Gowan still hadn't decided how to include her in the final episode of the season when she wasn't able to do her famous moaning giggle of Vee's name reliably.

"You know I wrote all that," he said ironically. "You can't surprise me with my own plot."

"I can suggest a surprise in the plot," Kara said confidently. "The last possible thing people would think would happen there, and it would branch off to give you a brand new couple sneaking around. Everyone just assumes Adonis and Foxy are frakking by now. Sometimes it's hot, but it's not unexpected. Guess who would shock the hells out of everybody."

His wine was warming in his belly, and he rather thought he might enjoy this Kara Thrace for her scathing viewpoints. He supposed she was the inspiration for Sara, and might know some scandals he could glean from her insider status. 

"I feel like I've bought your drink so I don't have to guess," he said. "Feel free to pay me back any minute now."

She smiled sedately, stroked the ice floating in the brown, strong liquor of her glass, and leaned in. "The Admiral and the High Priestess . . . and Sara is the only one who knows because she caught them kissing once."

High Priestesses weren't always chaste and unmarried, but Gowan had been short on time creating the character and let people assume as much about Marissa Warner. He'd left the Admiral's marriage a bit vague, so the man could be divorced, but that didn't excuse him from the judgement of the Gods. 

"But Sara is loyal to Admiral Harvey, and he's Victor's father. She wouldn't do anything to hurt him," Gowan said reluctantly. He actually really liked the idea of the contentious cooperation between the two leaders of the fleet hiding an affair. He wished he'd thought of it first. Without any setup it was just going to fall flat. And it would also ruin a lot of character development that made Foxy more than just a cruel lover to Adonis. 

"Sara is getting desperate. She needs Victor, and the only way to keep him is to marry him," Kara said slyly. "She'll blackmail her own Admiral to get permission. Think of all the layers in the dialogue you can add with that hanging over Foxy and Adonis finally getting some real progress in their relationship. It would show how much she loved him that she was willing to pay that price. Her new father in law is hating her, but he loves the High Priestess. Neither of them can bear to say anything about it to Victor because it would ruin his happiness."

It was juicy. It gave him a new couple to establish, and all sorts of new conflicts to introduce between the religious faith of the spiritual leader and the pragmatism of the Admiral. It would let Gowan give Rita's character more of a presence and show his Foxfire actress she could be written off the show if she couldn't take her job more seriously. 

Unfortunately Sara had shown no warmth for marriage. She was embittered by her father's abandonment, and wouldn't let Victor be a bigger part of her life. It made no sense for her to suddenly propose just to make the finale a little shocking. 

"Mmmm, no, but you did have me convinced for a moment," he said consideringly. "The problem is Sara can't commit to Victor. She has something against marriage, and it's holding her back from intimacy."

Kara smiled fondly down into her drink, evidently enjoying it. "But here's the kicker, Mr. Prescott. Sara's been really evasive with Victor for quite a few episodes. Sometimes they barely say two words that aren't moaning each other's names."

"I don't have a lot of actresses to choose from," he said sourly. "I might have to recast if she can't keep her voice in better shape. I can only keep cutting her lines for so long."

The pilot shook her head, putting a hand out and grasping his arm with a strong hand. "No, but you see, you can make that into something that was a hint of things to come. You can take it and make it a smart move instead of a cover for a flaky actress," she told him. "What if Sara's been sick, too? What if she thought the Mycenians did something awful to her and she only just got the courage to go to a doctor about it?"

Gowan's eyes narrowed. He'd never considered making such a major character a Mycenian clone. It would be interesting, but people would hate her. Sara was his female action lead. She couldn't be part of sabotaging her own people. 

"I can't make her a clone," he said.

Kara's eyes sparkled, awash in her own self-appreciation. He really didn't mind her, now that they'd talked a while. Her perspective was a nice counterpoint to having to extrapolate why someone could be so reckless and so cowardly about love.

"Not a clone. She has a passenger, a very little one. One she'll be meeting about nine months after she was rescued," she said. "And she grew up without her father, so she's going to want better for her child."

Victor and Sara had consummated their love right after that rescue. It would add up correctly. It would also change her priorities enough to explain why she'd go from doing anything to please the Admiral to blackmailing him for his own hidden love. 

"She needs Victor to help her raise the baby," Gowan whispered, cluing in at the same time he realized he didn't want to be the one to spoil his own episode. "But we also know Sara was with the Mycenians around the same time, and they were willing to use human women to make half-alien babies . . . "

Kara's nod was energetic. "She's not sure it's Victor's baby. She's betting on him loving her enough it won't matter."

A half-Mycenian baby raised by two fleet officers with the fleet's own Admiral as the grandfather was a masterful twist. Gowan could take pity and eventually decide that baby was all human, too. It was at least another full season of drama for Sara and Victor, and a new direction that moved them past all the silly angst about fleet regulations on dating. 

He paused, and looked at Kara with wide eyes. "Do you think Victor loves Sara enough? Would she risk telling him?"

Her eyes fastened to the shiny rail of the bar, her shoulders slumping. "She can't trap him like that. She has to hope he will," Kara said sadly. "And Victor is a really good man. He loves her. Maybe he loves her unconditionally."

Gowan was already writing lines of dialogue in his mind. He could feel his enthusiasm kicking up. It was one thing to better his pathetic life boxed into this floating coffin, and quite another to actually like the work he was doing. He could put some proper time into the script and find some musicians who could create love themes for the couples of the show. 

It would be tricky to make all the parts move together in a way that wasn't just cheap theatrics. He was aware his efforts so far hadn't been his best writing, but this felt like a real direction for the show to expand. If he couldn't swing a bigger special effects budget, he could dazzle with new roles for the characters people felt they knew. 

"Kara, if I put a lot of time into making this script about Sara and Victor getting married, I need to know I have someone to play Sara effectively. I cast her to sound like you. If my Sara lets me down, will you promise to fill in," he asked, watching as the pilot reacted for the first time with less than utter self-command. 

"I'm not an actress," she said, gulping her drink.

"You'd be playing yourself. The most you'd have to do is speak clearly and read the lines without sounding like you're reading them. I think you can access the emotions from your own experience at least as well as Camilla can imagine herself a fighter pilot mid-battle."

Kara finished her drink with an eye roll at his praise. She put the glass down carefully and her wet lips were surprisingly lush as she made a face and shrugged. "Okay, I'll fill in if you need me. But you don't get to be mad if I suck."

"All I need is for you to not lose your voice completely."

"Well, Lee would be the first to tell you I've never shut up in my life," she said fondly. 

Gowan hadn't realized that vocal inflection was a real part of the character. He'd given Camilla some recordings from training sessions where Lee Adama and Kara Thrace were bantering. Her purring pronounciation of Victor's nickname was barely sensual compared to the way Kara managed to make her friend's name sound pornographic and loving. In fact, Gowan had been angry at Camilla for slipping the detail into their first episode when he'd told it was just too overtly sexual outside a bedroom scene. It was apparently how Kara spoke to her CAG when they were working.

He was really starting to think his overpaying on the evening's drinks was money well spent. "I think you'll do fine, Kara," he said sincerely. "I obviously can't give you credit for your acting work, but I'll make sure you get something for your time."

She smiled, and it was a new expression entirely from all the ones before. "Oh, seeing Lee's face during the episode if he recognizes my voice will be plenty."

Gowan watched her pick a decorative flourish of edible flowers out of her drink and tip it back with gusto. She let her head fall back and sighed with a lovely, natural charisma. If Lee Adama didn't recognize Kara's voice, he was officially the coldest bastard still alive.

 

Kara had paid close attention to the seating for the last episode of the season. On Two Wings and a Prayer was a required activity now with any pilots not on duty. The few who had to fly CAPs always made arrangements to have a friend watch Lee and Kara squirm and flush at the best parts and yawn through the parts where Dr. Magyar hatched crazy plots designed to save his own ass. 

She was sitting next to Lee, and she'd insisted on Helo sitting across from her with Boomer taking the fourth chair. A few clingier nuggets had inched chairs in between, but not been brave enough to split up Kara and Lee or Helo and Boomer. 

Sara 'Foxy' Spencer's actress had screwed up her voice enough to require an understudy for one scene. It had been an odd experience, but Kara wasn't sorry she'd been there for the recording. It was tedious but at least she'd been in a studio with the actors. Lee's actor looked nothing like him. The Admiral's did, and sounded like the Old Man with the slightest hint of a cold. High Priestess Marissa was played by quite a young woman, but her heavier build and timid manner made her a good fit for an older part. 

Kara had felt silly reciting lines to a microphone, but she'd done her best. Prescott even seemed pleased with how things had gone. 

She smiled to herself and hummed along to the instrumental theme that opened the show. Lee glanced at her and away. They knew better than to try separate sides of the room. At least sitting close they were less likely to gaze. 

"OH! I'm sorry Admiral!" 

Sara had just walked in on her beloved mentor mid-grope of their High Priestess, in a scene directly following where the previous episode left him on a date with an unnamed lady. It was Camilla and not Kara's voice, but Kara felt like the whole episode had an added level of realistic awkwardness. It was the way of a Battlestar to hear and see far too much of your superior officers.

"Get out!" The barked order was exactly Bill Adama, and Lee flinched. Kara frowned at him and gave him a smile he returned briefly. She followed along as the Admiral pressed Sara to keep silent. 

"I know you must be disappointed to find me like this," he said earnestly. "I never meant for it to happen. I want you to know it was an accident. It's gone too far and I can't imagine how you feel."

The room was quiet, absorbing this new facet of the commanding officer. He'd never before had vulnerability about personal choices. Admiral Harvey was a disciplined person. 

"I understand," Foxy interrupted. "I get it too well. You fell for her."

The sound effects were a little busy, but Kara decoded them to be a hatch locking quickly and a few footsteps. 

"I have no right to make this an order, Lieutenant, but the High Priestess is a symbol of hope for people. There can't be a scandal like this when she needs to comfort them," Harvey said. "Please tell me I can count on your discretion."

"I need something from you in return," Sara said, her tone cool. 

The pause was anxious, with a smattering of bare percussion to make people feel it. "If I can help you, you know I will, Sara."

Kara heard the tone of voice in her character come over the speaker, mercenary and uncaring. "I'm in love with your son. We want to get married and keep our jobs. Find a rule you can break for us. I'm tired of people saying I'm the one breaking his heart."

The weighty silence was thick, underscored by a little bit of music that teased at her awareness. She couldn't even really hear it, but it made the situation feel unsteady. Kara had sat up straight without realizing, as if she was the one in a standoff with the Old Man over Lee's right to live a life with someone to love him. 

"You're asking too much," the Admiral said hoarsely. "Sara, I don't think you'd punish the High Priestess for something out of her control. Ask me for something else. As long as it doesn't endanger the fleet, I can do it."

The music was rising, and Kara realized it was another instrumental theme. It was probably some character cue they were trying. Prescott had said he wanted to add more original music. 

"It hasn't yet," Sara said curtly. "You didn't know until I told you just then. I could see you really didn't suspect. I don't know how you're that much into denial. Victor is the only person who makes me feel safe. I need him. He's all I need."

The pause was hard to hear, then an exhale like some gust of angst Adama might allow himself under extreme stress. 

"We'll get home, Sara. When we do-"

"The fleet will get home. Adonis and I are out there in every firefight," Sara said bitterly. "It's naive to think we're both going to get home alive. I'm running out of time."

She walked away, a lone set of sharper footsteps echoing from a recording of a person walking down Galactica's own hallways. Kara was picturing the Old Man's face screwing up in a despairing, conflicted frown.

The real pilots in the room were wide-eyed, all of them clearly bursting with questions they had no way to ask tactfully. The Admiral and High Priestess were mysterious figures, akin to their Commander and President, and their scenes together had a warmth that had grown through adversity. Nothing had foreshadowed them actually taking the step to being a couple. 

Even less of the show had ever given them hope the cycle of attraction and ambivalence between Sara and Vee would end up with them married despite one of the first rules they learned as military personnel. The mix of tantalizing real anxiety in the room made any other strange parallel more plausible.

Lee was sitting too precisely, and he leaned over to Kara with a mildly concerned scowl. "Why would she say she's running out of time," he asked Kara quietly. "What do you think it means?"

"I don't know. Maybe it's nothing," she said simply. "I've been listening just like you."

Her copy of the script had been handed over to Prescott before she left the recording studio, too. Kara knew better than to try to keep it hidden. She'd left no trace of her contribution to the radio play, other than the small section where she'd played Sara. 

The scene shifted to the Magyars, sniping at one another like usual. Fiona spoke with stern words, though she did sound fond of her husband. Gaius' fictional counterpart wasn't nearly the manwhore he aspired to become. 

"Darling, I don't think the military wants you succeed. If they really supported your brilliance, they'd let you build the bomb that would end this," Fiona said. 

Dr. Magyar, hilariously named Dylan like some kind of beach bum, protested. "They've given me all the resources they had on board. I can understand them being reluctant to bomb a planet where there must be human survivors. What right do we have to break ourselves out of a trap by killing thousands of other people?"

He was actually a decent guy, Kara thought. She had no real proof Baltar didn't want to help the fleet, but plenty of experience watching him happily take the perks of being their pet scientist. He wouldn't do very well with a real wife, though. He was getting a reputation for hitting on any woman who didn't run away. 

"We have a right to try to live. Eventually food will run out. They'll poison the water again, or get a lucky shot and Cosmic Galleon will fail. We only have one ship with any weapons. We have limited fuel and access to the three smallest bases on the poorest planets," Fiona said insistently. "You promised we'd have a baby, Dylan."

The fictional doctor loved his wife, but had been neglecting her for years in favour of his research. It turned out that attempt to communicate more quickly via interdimensional fractures might have drawn the Mycenians to the colonies, a fear Dr. Magyar hid from everyone. 

"We will, but my research was so important to me, and now . . . " Magyar sputtered. "It's hardly the time, is it?"

"You have your work, like always. What do I have, Dylan? We're adrift on this floating tank, hoping not to die," Fiona replied. 

Prescott might have been accused of taking the foreshadowing of a baby a little far, except Fiona had been ranting about a baby since the first episode. She had even been about to adopt an orphaned toddler, before the child was reunited with her family. Kara wasn't sure how she felt about the awkward doctor's wife, but she generally didn't like thinking about Baltar in real life or fiction. She was always careful to give no reaction when Fiona fretted endlessly about Sara Spencer's brief time shuttling Dr. Magyar between ships with a precious piece of technology that needed to be somewhere hidden from the Mycenians. 

The suspicious wife had thought Foxy's dedication to her mission was a sign she'd gotten a little too attached to Dr. Magyar. Kara cringed away from that whole storyline. Lee had an unconscious tendency to sneer during the Magyars' scenes. If the exhaustive science talk didn't bore her, she tended to tune out before Fiona switched to her sexpot mode and started kissing her husband with more enthusiasm than she cared to contemplate.

"We need to send out scout ships," Victor's voice was official and piercing after the intimacy of a couple in their private quarters. The background noise blending with the rec room created an odd stereo sound of two sets of pilots responding to the words with murmurs of discontent. 

On the wireless, Victor continued. "The Admiral thinks there's a way around the blockade, though it might be unattainable for the entire fleet. The objective is to send ships that can slip past Mycenian patrols, jamming the EMP that prevents us from approaching the other home planets. We'll still have to travel the long way around, and it will be be risky, but if any of the ships can get through, we will have a communications channel to get help."

Kara automatically nodded to the plan. She had to admit the physics of the ships on the program were fairly accurate. No one got to travel large distances without skip generators, and the skip generators were notorious for failures at the worst moment. Anyone could repair them, but it was easier said when it might be broken down with Mycenian Arrowhead fighters scanning for fleet signatures. The fuel use was enormous, particularly for the large Cosmic Galleon. 

"Unfortunately, after trying to track Mycenian fighters, we can't extrapolate the flight path they take away from us. At a certain point they just stop showing on our scans. We need four to six scout ships,and at least two volunteers to pilot and co-pilot each one."

The murmurs grew, but Adonis quieted things by raising his voice slightly. "I don't have to tell you the dangers, but it's important we still have the capacity to protect the fleet. If you volunteer, I might have to veto so I can keep you here to patrol and defend our civilian ships," he said seriously. "The details of the scout missions are specific and need to know. I won't go into it further with the group. To anyone who volunteers, the fleet is grateful for your service. Not being chosen is no reflection on your skills, but an indication you are needed too badly to spare."

Victor proceeded to take names as they called out their willingness. He repeated the names back as a question and waited for each pilot to give a quick "Sir!" He commanded the briefing with a kind efficiency. And he paused at the end as if he was waiting for one other person to speak. 

Sara hadn't volunteered. She hadn't even pried for more information about the scouting missions to help her trainee pilots understand. It was unusual to have a scene where both Sara and Victor were together and one of them was meekly silent. Their private scenes were all about the love they shared, and the push-pull of trying to keep it confined to those too small moments. The pilot briefings were the opposite. Foxfire was brutal with her criticisms, and never sat out the most dangerous missions. The music playing over the noise of the pilots hinted at Vee's confusion to get absolutely no attitude from her now. 

Victor gave it another moment, then asked, "Foxy?"

Her voice was oddly swallowed back as she said, "No sir, not this one. I'm sorry."

It was out of character. He answered automatically, but the words were empty. Vee's tone hinted at hurt feelings that had no part of a briefing. 

"No need, Lieutenant. It's volunteer only," he said. "You have every right to sit it out."

"I would like a word later," she said. "It's important."

Victor's dread was palpable as he agreed with a flat tone. He obviously expected the worst of the conversation. 

"Catch up with me after patrol," he said. "Everyone, grab your guns and bring in the cat. Assignments will go out as soon as they're finalized."

Kara concentrated on her breathing. She steadied her shoulders and counted out seconds. One hand held on to her cup, but that was just a leftover habit from drinking in Picon's worst bars. She knew how it was going to turn out. Lee had tucked his hands under his elbows, letting his chin hang forward as if he was slightly bored instead of empathizing with a radio play character's misery.

Helo narrowed his eyes. "That's weird. When's the last time Foxy actually flew a mission? I know it was after she was rescued, but that has to be a few weeks, right," he asked idly. 

Boomer shrugged. "I guess they can't include everything that happens in the show. Vee is just acting weird because of their whole unrequited love deal. They sneak off and frak but she's always rejecting him," she said. 

"Poor frakker is going to need a heart transplant the way she's been yanking it out," Crashdown said sourly. "I know Sara's important to him, but how much more is he going to put up with?"

"Shh!" Someone shushed him as the Admiral spoke. 

"I need advice, Paul," he said contritely. "I've fallen into something I didn't mean to happen, and it's backfired on me."

XO Paul Frye was one of his few confidantes, and his tone was vulnerable with his regret. Harvey only really expressed himself when they were behind closed doors. It was one of the sacrifices of command to neglect personal bonds. The Admiral wasn't close with Victor, having lost touch with the family during a messy divorce. 

"Ted, you're the Admiral. It's never an accident what you do, and you don't justify it to your officers," Frye said firmly. "They need to learn to do their jobs without someone patting their hands and telling them they're doing great."

Harvey gave a chuckle lacking humour. "Foxfire saw me kissing High Priestess Warner."

"Foxfire should be the last person to judge you for an indiscretion," Frye said. "She's loyal, isn't she? Besides, who's gonna believe her?"

Harvey sighed. "Victor will. But more than that, Sara and Victor are together. She wants to get married in exchange for keeping it a secret."

"I'm interested to know if Victor knows he's engaged," Frye said dryly. "You give her an order to shut up and do the work. That's the end of it. If she wants to spend her free time in the brig she can keep testing you. No one will believe you and the High Priestess are dating."

"I'm more worried about my son right now, Paul," the Admiral said reluctantly. "I don't understand what the urgency is, but Sara was very clear she wants to be married soon."

The XO grunted, and his mixture of amused irritation was a very good imitation of Tigh's hard-won laughter. "I don't know, but I can tell you she's been seeing the doc a lot this week. I got an order today to put her on light duty to allow for some kind of treatment. I just assumed she'd gotten into the booze a little too much during the time off we gave her to recover."

Harvey made a vague noise of agreement, but it was thoughtful.

The clank of boots on metal catwalks was a distinct sound, and Kara knew it as well as the purr of her Viper. She also knew it had to be the scene she'd recorded for Prescott, because she remembered flubbing her lines a few times when she marveled at the accuracy of some of the sound effects. The sound engineer had found a way to indicate where in the ship people were without them having to add clunky dialogue. 

The catwalks gave way to regular hallways, then the duller footfalls inside an office. Two sets of feet came to a stop, one of them more abruptly. 

"I have a list of volunteers to look over, Foxy," Victor told her curtly. "What did you want to tell me?"

Normally there would be a kiss or two or some gentle coaxing before they resisted the urge to touch. Vee tended to sift his fingers through Sara's hair, and she scraped her nails idly on the thick fabric of his fatigues. He didn't even offer her a chair, seemingly fed up with everything about her. 

Kara couldn't help tensing and glancing for a moment at Lee. She knew the whole scene because she'd had to read all the lines multiple times until she got it right. Prescott had given her direction and the actor who played Victor had come over to share her microphone as the conversation became heated. There was no suspense for her, except seeing what Lee would do when he heard her voicing Sara. 

"I'm sorry it's so hard to love me, Vee," Kara said, as Foxy. "It's too easy to love you."

Lee came up in his chair with a jolt. He stared at her, as Kara hid behind her hair.

"I was trying to pretend I was fine, but ever since you rescued me there have been . . . symptoms. I didn't want to see the doctor for nothing. We knew they didn't clone me, and that was my biggest fear. But last week I passed out a few times. If it happened in the cockpit, I could have killed some poor trainee running patrol with me. I went back and made them run the tests again. I'm pregnant."

Victor's voice was so bland it seemed hostile. Lee's eyes slipped along her body and fastened on her belly, drawn to an impossibility. "Are you keeping it?"

Sara gulped a little, but she answered sadly. "I think so. I have some pills I could take, but it's still mine."

There was a subtle clash of noises, like he'd thrown down whatever was in his hands. Victor inhaled for a long moment, and exhaled sharply. Lee had turned to face the room, his posture military correct and his bearing pained. 

"It's not mine then," he asked.

"I don't know," Sara whispered.

"Well, how long is the figging list of possibilities, Foxy?!" The actor had been so convincingly wrathful Kara had jumped on the first take and hit the microphone. After a reset, she knew to expect the thump of a fist on a wooden desktop. 

She had to tape the reaction more than a handful of times. It was shockingly difficult to breathe in a panicked, threatened manner and also make tiny pleading noises meant to soothe an angry mate. Kara had found herself picturing Lee angry at her, betrayed by her but not taking one step away because her baby might be his own. 

"There's no one else," Sara insisted. "It's yours from that first time together or those ugly reptiles did this to me," she blurted finally. "I can't tell you this baby is yours, and I won't be able to tell until it's too late to get rid of it. The doctor says DNA reads as human, but they can make clones that look like us."

Prescott had wanted her to be tearful, but Kara knew what Victor would say. He might not know what to do with her, but he valued life. She had fought to be stoic, because she knew Victor would be as strong as Lee. 

"Throw out those pills," Victor said. "You're not flying anything."

Sara's reply was lost as the fake alarm klaxons rang out and smothered the other sounds. Kara was impressed at the chaos of the sound effects and the way she was still able to hear Bird Bird and Popper burst into Victor's office and call them to battle. 

She knew she wasn't doing a good job passively listening, but it was the season finale. She could feel Lee looking right at her, and knew the other pilots saw her fighting not to look at him. Kara didn't want to know what this was doing to him. It suddenly seemed unfair to have involved herself in a surreal reflection of their own lives. 

"Foxy is coordinating from the flight deck," Victor said, all business now that the klaxons had been adjusted to a less overwhelming volume. "You both need to get to launch tubes. I'll meet you there."

Big Bird and Popper were wearing heavy flight boots and rubbery jock smocks. Their every movement sounded harsh and hurried. There was a tiny sound of soft rubbing that Kara just knew was Victor's palm cupping Sara's face tenderly. She could feel it on her own cheek and her face flushed.

"We need to get out there," Foxy whispered. "Just promise me you'll come back, too."

Vee had a sarcastic remark for everything, a trait unlike Lee. "Can't have our lizard baby growing up a bastard," he said. "Come on."

They rushed off into battle, just like usual, with a song stirring poignantly in their wake. Kara looked down to find Lee grasping her knee and covered his hand.


End file.
